What concerts are you excited about to start 2023?
The early months of any year are typically light on concerts, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t a few worth checking out.
Sifting through the options, here’s one path to music you can take in the months of January and February. Some of these are already sold out. Given the dearth of concerts, that’s not too surprising, but stay alert for re-sale options!
Note: If you want some local DC-based bands/artists, we’ve highlighted local artists in bright red.
Top 20 Concerts for January/February
The 9 Songwriter Series Holiday Show @ Pearl Street Warehouse (1/5/23) (Rescheduled from December due to weather. Local artists come together in a regularly occurring monthly series organized by Justin Trawick. You can also attend Justin’s birthday show on 1/21 at Pearl Street.)
Valerie June @ Millennium Stage (Kennedy Center) (1/7/23) (Pro Tip: Free show. So you’ve always wanted to try one of the daily 6pm free shows at the Millennium Stage, but haven’t had the chance. Take it now! Valerie will speak about her new children’s book and perform a few songs. She’s a singer/songwriter from Tennessee, and performs multiple instruments for her mix of folk, gospel, soul, blues and country.)
Ari Voxx @ DC9 (1/11/23) (Ari is a singer/songwriter from DC, performing across multiple genres including pop, jazz, and new wave. She will perform four gigs at DC9, one per week. Besides 1/11, she is also there on 1/18, 1/25, and 2/1).
Umphrey’s McGee @ 9:30 Club (1/12 & 1/13/23) (It’s the 25th Anniversary Tour for this Indiana jam band.)
Smells Like Nirvana @ Rams Head Live (1/13/23) (Tribute band alert!)
Grady w/ Rigometrics + Chay Vicious @ The Pocket (1/19/23) (Local bands alert!)
Greensky Bluegrass @ The Anthem (1/27 & 1/28/23) (This Kalamazoo, Michigan bluegrass jam band just released their 11th album, Stress Dreams (via Big Blue Zoo), and will take over The Anthem for two nights!)
Wanted Man w/ Kinda Evil, North by North, Flowerbomb @ Pie Shop (1/28/23) (Local bands alert!)
A Shrewdness of Apes, Roscoe Tripp, Outerloop @ Jammin Java (1/29/23) (Local bands alert!)
Blondshell (opening for Suki Waterhouse) @ Black Cat (1/31/23) (Come early to the sold out Suki Waterhouse show and catch Sabrina Teitelbaum (Blondshell) play songs (inspired by Britpop) from her debut self-titled album (via Partisan Records) releasing on April 7th!)
flipturn @ The 8×10 (2/5/23)
Fitz and the Tantrums @ 9:30 Club (2/6/23) (Check out our review of a previous show they performed in DC.)
Macy Gray @ The Birchmere (2/7/23)
The Crystal Casino Band @ 9:30 Club (2/9/23) (DC’s indie rockers just released their sixth album, Maryland House. For this one, they are going big time and will perform their album release show at the 9:30 Club! Always good to see locals acts getting the nod at the 9:30 Club as headliners.)
Snail Mail @ Ottobar (2/10-2/14/23) (Five shows! The Valentine Festival. Also, check out our review of her show last year.)
Maggie Rogers @ The Anthem (2/13 & 2/14/23) Both Sold Out
Zolita @ Songbyrd Music House (2/18/23) (Zolita has already sold out Songbyrd, but that’s no reason to sleep on this electropop singer/songwriter from California. Her new EP, Falling Out / Falling In, will be released on Februrary 10th.)
Morgan Wade @ 9:30 Club (2/21 & 2/26/23) (Two nights, the 26th is sold out.)
Cory Wong with Victor Wooten @ 9:30 Club (2/22/23) Sold Out
Yelle @ 9:30 Club (2/25/23)
Bonus!
Outerloop (opening for Ten Pound Snail) @ DC9 (1/8/23)
Grady @ DC9 (1/31/23) (This starts a four show residency at DC9 for local pop rockers, Grady. See them 1/31, 2/7, 2/14, or 2/22! Or collect them all!)
White Ford Bronco @ Union Stage (2/11/23)
Junior Boys @ Black Cat (2/24/23) (This Canadian electro pop duo is touring for their latest album, Waiting Game (via City Slang). 20 years in, they are still going strong.)
Chappell Roan @ Black Cat (2/26/23) Sold Out
Weyes Blood @ 9:30 Club (2/27/23) Sold Out
A DC Journey 